Future of TV, cord cutting still jumbled

Television is a mess, and I’m not talking about the collapse of “Duck Dynasty,” but rather the battle taking shape that will determine how we will receive and pay for programs.

It’s clear that the oligarchy of cable and satellite companies controlling content delivery is crumbling, and the days of paying for hundreds of channels are coming to an end. What’s unclear is whether cord cutters will save money by paying only for the channels they do watch.

CBS and HBO are testing the waters for “over-the-top” delivery of live programming via the Internet, and Dish Network has announced a slightly more ambitious online offering — a small bundle of cable networks, including ESPN.

The Dish service, called Sling TV (no connection to Slingbox), is particularly fascinating, because it cannibalizes Dish’s own satellite TV business. Perhaps Dish is betting that in the end, all TV will be delivered via the Internet, eliminating the need for satellite dishes. Comcast could also switch from cable to Internet delivery and still make a fortune because it has a stranglehold on Internet access.

Sling TV may serve as a blueprint for getting the TV signal from the Internet to the TV. Dish has announced that Sling will be available on all manner of devices, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Microsoft’s Xbox, and select TVs.

Regardless of whether TV programming comes from a satellite, a cable or the Internet, eventually the dam of traditional channel packaging will break, and we will finally have the a la carte services we’ve been yearning for. The question is, how much will it cost? Will sports be available on demand, or will you have to subscribe to Fox, CBS, NBC, ESPN and the NFL network so you can watch all the 49ers games? For that matter, providers could charge so much for each network that in the end, a tailored package of a dozen channels could cost as much as what you pay today for hundreds. Now there’s a happy thought.

Q: Our household is now exclusively Mac (laptop and desktop). I’ve been under the belief that antivirus/malware protection for Macs is included in the operating system and that a third-party security package is unnecessary. Also, I’ve heard that Macs aren’t as susceptible to security problems as PCs. Am I correct or not? Should I be taking some other action?

A: As Ed McMahon famously told Johnny Carson one night when Ed was in his cups, “You are correct, oh out-of-focus one!” Macs are less prone to virus and malware infections for a couple of reasons: (1) They have built-in protections that quarantine and remove potential problem files, and (2) Bad guys go after Macs less than PCs because Macs have always had a much smaller market share.

By the way, Windows 8.1 is no security slouch either. Its built-in security feature, Windows Defender, now includes immediate antivirus protection in addition to warding off malware like adware and spyware. And you can keep it up to date with the latest virus and malware definitions just by enabling Windows Update.

One caveat: Some PC manufacturers ship computers with Windows Defender turned off, because they offer free trials of security programs from companies like McAfee and Norton. But you can easily turn it on. Just use the Windows Search feature to find Windows Defender, and go to Settings.

Q: Is it legal for me to use my neighbor’s Wi-Fi network if I have his permission and he gives me his password? I would be paying a portion of his monthly fee. Also, if I am using his Wi-Fi at the same time that people in his house are using it, will I be slowing down their connection?

A: First questions first. No, I don’t think there’s a legal problem here — although it might be better for your neighbor to create a guest account for you on his router. That would keep everything on the up-and-up: You would have your own network and password, and he could limit your access to the Internet, thereby protecting the rest of his home network.

As to your second question, if both you and your neighbor are streaming movies simultaneously, I suppose it could slow down the connection and cause buffering for both of you — in which case your neighbor will soon become less neighborly. Your main concern, however, should be the strength of the Internet connection itself. If your house is at the edge of its range, it may not be fast enough to be of much use.